DRESS CODE STRICTLY ENFORCED: AMBIENCE SETS A NEW STANDARD FOR NIGHTLIFE ON ST. CROIX
Jamale Griffin is the owner of Christiansted’s newest and hottest night spot, Ambience Cocktail Lounge. He aims to set a new standard for dressing and style in St. Croix’s nightlife scene. Photo courtesy of Jamale Griffin.
Jamale R. Griffin is shaking up the nightlife scene on St. Croix with his sexy-cool Ambience Cocktail Lounge.
The buzz around the newly established downtown Christiansted hotspot, which opened its doors at 4A & B Strand Street in June and caters to the 25+ crowd, has been loud—both because of its inviting atmosphere as well as the attire patrons are required to wear to get in the door.
The dapper businessman details the clothing requirement for male guests.
“Dress shoes, designer sneakers, designer t-shirts, dress shirts or nice sweaters—essentially, you have to come dressed to impress,” he explains. “I will allow fashionable caps, but that’s the extent of it.”
Mr. Griffin says overly casual items that do not make the cut include heavily distressed jeans, flip-flops, slides, hoodies, doo-rags, sports jerseys, sleeveless shirts, sagging pants, and shades. Not to mention, having the odor of recreational drugs and arriving at the establishment intoxicated will keep party hopefuls out in the cold.
Photo courtesy of Ambience Cocktail Lounge/Facebook.
“I have a doorman who checks all of that and he shows you a list of the dress code,” he says. “If you do not fit the bill, you can’t come inside. Most people respect it.”
As for women, Mr. Griffin says, “Just come fashion-forward.” Pointing out that women make up 95 percent of Ambience’s clientele, he adds “women seldomly mess up a dress code.”
“Women are looking for a reason to get dressed up,” he continues. “They want to get gussied up and pretty and feel good, but I need the men to understand they have to get dressed up, too, because the women are in there waiting for them.”
Mr. Griffin says his strict stance on Ambience’s dress code, which he admits has rubbed some men who have been turned away the wrong way, is part of his broader effort to encourage younger men to care more about the clothes they wear.
“Our young people are losing so many golden opportunities because of the way they dress,” he explains. “So, if you want to be taken seriously—people will look at you differently, they will cater to you. Ambience is for everyone; you just have to dress the part.”
Build It & They Will Come
Further opening up about his decision to open a spot like Ambience on St. Croix, Mr. Griffin, who will celebrate his 43rd birthday on Sept. 3, says he simply wanted to enjoy delicious craft cocktails in a mature atmosphere. He often felt “out of place” when visiting other local night spots that cater to younger crowds.
“The reason I started Ambience is because I realized there was a gap—there was nowhere you could go after a nice meal or if you just wanted to hangout in a cocktail lounge,” he says, adding, “somewhere that made and curated premium cocktails and felt as if you were in a luxurious place or stateside.”
“So, because we didn’t have that, I started to look around and I started thinking, ‘Why don’t I create my own ambience?’” he says. “I would go to Hamilton and have a good dinner. [And after dinner] I didn’t really care for the club-like lounges where really and truly, there were a lot of young people, and I felt out of place.” He figured that if he felt this way, other people his age and older might be feeling the same way, and Ambience soon came to life.
Photo courtesy of Ambience Cocktail Lounge/Facebook.
While many restaurants and bars do offer cocktails on their menu, Mr. Griffin prides himself on owning the only true cocktail lounge on St. Croix.
“There’s no other cocktail lounge on St. Croix,” he says. “When you step into Ambience, it’s a level of elegance, you have a dress code and a reason to get out your house and get dressed, come out with your friends, meet our professional mixologist, professional servers and host, and even myself, and have an experience like no other.”
And that one-of-a-kind experience includes premium craft cocktails (and mocktails), an endless 90s R&B playlist spun by house DJ D’Shay, unlimited access to a popular ‘selfie’ suite, and a seriously good time with good people.
“I wanted to create a reason for people to dress up and listen to some smooth music,” Mr. Griffin says. “It’s a gathering of beautiful people who are more refined and who want to enjoy themselves in a good atmosphere.”
Elevating St. Croix’s Nightlife Scene
“The plan is to get everyone else on the same page,” Mr. Griffin says of fellow St. Croix lounge owners implementing similar dress codes at their businesses. “If I can start to get every other lounge—there are great lounges on St. Croix—to be more fashion-forward, I think we can change the clientele.”
Although he is the newest man on the block, he welcomes the challenge of leading this change he believes is needed to elevate St. Croix’s nightlife scene.
“I want to push the envelope and challenge business owners to create some standard to get these men and women to get dressed up to come out to Christiansted town, to come out their house and enjoy a good night,” the active duty USVI Air National Guardsman says.
Guests take a selfie inside the selfie suite at Ambience. Photo courtesy of Ambience Cocktail Lounge/Facebook.
“I’m trying to create a nightlife in St. Croix—not just Christiansted town—where we now become a premium place to go out. Not just for us, but for tourists,” he adds.
And visitors to St. Croix have been flocking to Ambience, with many hotels and resorts recommending the night spot to their guests.
“Carambola, Buccaneer, King’s Alley, Divi—all these well-established hotels and resorts [have recommended us to their guests],” Mr. Griffin says. “Many tourists say this reminds them of New Orleans, Miami, New York—that’s a great feeling.”
A Place for Everyone
Mr. Griffin stresses that Ambience is for people of all ages and from all walks of life. Retired educator and Board of Education member Winona Hendricks recently held her birthday celebration there and Governor Bryan stopped in to enjoy an evening out with friends.
“What I enjoy is that a governor can take time and sit down and enjoy a cocktail in Ambience and be among everyone and feel comfortable,” he says. “For too long, all you could do [in St. Croix] is have dinner here. Why should I have to go stateside to enjoy a good cocktail and sit down among friends? I should be able to do it right here in my own home.”
Safety is another thing that Mr. Griffin is big on. The retired VIPD lieutenant who served 20 years on the force highlights his business’s proximity to a gated government-operated parking lot, his use of a security guard at Ambience’s entrance, and the extra effort he and his staff make to walk patrons to their cars.
“Myself or my staff walk the majority of the women to their cars,” he says. “We want people to feel safe when they leave Ambience. We want you to feel safe when you enter Ambience.”
Ambience Is Everywhere
As Ambience’s profile continues to rise, Mr. Griffin says partnership requests have been pouring in. On Sept. 6, he’ll be hosting Noir Nights in conjunction with Island Vybez Promotions. The indoor/outdoor event will feature VIP access, multiple DJs, finger foods, and more.
“It’s going to be a wonderful evening of elegance, and everyone already knows they have to dress to impress to come to this,” he says.
On Oct. 18, there’ll be Battle of the Sexes: Fashion Feud, which will feature a fashion show segment that shows the types of clothing guests should wear when visiting Ambience. And on New Year’s Eve, Ambience will host an epic party to ring in the new year in style.
Noir Nights on Sept. 6, in partnership with Island Vybez Promotions, is the next big event at Ambience. Photo courtesy of Ambience Cocktail Lounge/Facebook.
“We are booked with events through March 2026,” Mr. Griffin says. “Ambience is everywhere. We’re going to be taking Ambience all over St. Croix, and possibly to St. Thomas, too.” He says some St. Thomas businesses have already contacted him with requests for collaborations.
Noting that Ambience is bigger than him, Mr. Griffin welcomes the ideas and suggestions of others, saying “that’s how we get better.” In the meantime, though, he is proud of the strides the business has made so far and is excited about what that means for St. Croix.
“When I’m in Ambience and it’s busy, and everyone is working, and it’s flowing and we can see people are having a good time, I do take a moment and I look [around], and internally, I feel warm,” he says. “I feel good that I was able to help curate this atmosphere that people truly enjoy.”
Ambience’s hours of operation are Wed., and Thurs., 5 p.m. to 12 a.m.; Fri., 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.; Sat., 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.; and Sun., 4 to 10 p.m. The space is also available for private rental. Call (340) 208-2368 for more information.